Northwestern
9-2, 3-0Big Ten
USC
8-4, 1-3Big Ten
Northwestern Pulls Away Late to Defeat No. 18 USC, 17-8
3/30/2025 4:50:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
CARSON, Calif. – No. 3 Northwestern (9-2, 3-0) asserted control in the second half, pulling away for a 17-8 win over No. 18 USC (8-4, 1-3) on Sunday afternoon. Madison Taylor led the Wildcats with five goals, while Riley Campbell recorded three goals and three assists in the road victory.
Won Out West ??? #CATSWIN pic.twitter.com/OI639YEDSx
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 30, 2025
Taylor set the tone early, scoring three unanswered goals in the opening 10 minutes, including a setup from Taylor Lapointe. It was her 10th game this season with at least three goals, pushing her season total to 55. Lucy Munro added another to give Northwestern a 4-0 lead before USC responded with four straight goals to level the score.
Campbell halted the Trojans' momentum, sparking a three-goal run of her own to complete a first-half hat trick. The Wildcats carried an 8-5 advantage into halftime.
USC struck first in the third quarter, but Northwestern responded decisively, rattling off an 8-1 scoring run to close out the game. Niki Miles and Sam Smith each tallied two goals, while Munro and Campbell extended the lead. Lauren Archer punctuated the win with a behind-the-back finish, her fourth goal of the season.
LAUREN ARCHER BEHIND THE BACK ???? pic.twitter.com/2vgu2INHah
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 30, 2025
Northwestern controlled possession, winning the draw control battle 22-7, led by Sam Smith's 13 draw controls. The Wildcats' defense forced 11 turnovers and collected 18 ground balls. Jaylen Rosga recorded four ground balls and two caused turnovers, while first-year Mary Carroll added three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Delaney Sweitzer anchored the unit with nine saves on 17 shots on goal.
Defense holding down the fort ??
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 30, 2025
16 GB, 10 CT and counting ?? pic.twitter.com/rOkyzumuWi
The Wildcats extended their Big Ten winning streak to nine games and held an opponent to 10 goals or fewer for the ninth time this season. They improved to 5-2 all-time against USC, securing their first win over the Trojans as Big Ten opponents.
Northwestern continues conference play Thursday, April 3, with a road matchup against No. 5 Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field. The game is set for 5 p.m. CT and will stream on Centennial Conference TV.
